Lucic-Baroni can continue upward curve in Charleston

Krunic hasn’t been in the best of form this year

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni plays a backhand in Miami last week

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By Matthew Ireland
8:28PM, APR 3 2017

WTA Monterrey & CharlestownBT Sport 2 & BT Sport 3, 3pm & 5pm Tuesday

Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni began the season ranked 79th in the world but a number of impressive performances including a semi-final appearance at the Australian Open have seen her rise to a career-best 23rd after just three months of the year.

A run to the quarter-finals of last week’s Miami Open, where she saw off eighth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the last 32, was another fine effort and she looks a worthy favourite to see off Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic at the WTA Charleston.

World number 132 Krunic has beaten the Croat in the pair’s two previous meetings but she hasn’t been in the best of form this year and should be outgunned by her superior opponent.

RecommendationM Lucic-Baroni to win 2-02pts 19-20 Hills

A run to the quarter-finals of last week’s Miami Open, where she saw off eighth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the last 32, was another fine effort